Leaderboard

I have officially announced and decided that this will be my last ever contract as a crew member for Royal Caribbean. After a long career with this company, it is now time to move on to the next phase of my life. I am excited and nervous for what is to come, but just wanted to thank Matt and this community for allowing me to share my life on this platform.

Summer Vibes: Raise a Glass to Freedom; Symphony of Serenity; A Wonderful Life – FR 06.30.2025; SY 07.27.2025; WN 08.15.2025 Back with a triple sailing this summer! I had thought of taking a break from blogging as I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep starting up new ones in such a short time span (over two months). But then @asquared17's blog that never ends gave me an idea. I am going to combine all our summer sailings into one blog that I can pop in and out of and not have to start up a new one each time. Here we go, let’s start by “Raising a Glass to Freedom”, appropriately named I think, because finally, I am free from the burden of this school year and summer finally is here!

Happy to be on board!

The Royal Genie Package experience: Our Genie for this sailing was Lissandra. She is coming from a suite concierge role into Genie. It would seem like all 4 genies working in this RGP role are newer genies on their first or second contract. Despite being newer to the role, Lissandra was fantastic for what we needed. She was able to anticipate our cruising needs rather quickly and once she got to know us a bit, conversations flowed easily. She constantly checked in on us, both through WhatsApp, and in person. She was very thoughtful as well. The genie experience itself was no different than regular Star Class. Everything that a regular star class genie could do for us, she did as well. Embarkation and disembarkation process remained the same as Star Class. The RGP experience is similar to Star Class, but it’s not. They are not trying to market it as such either. It is marketed as the RGP, right down to the banners, literature in the room, seapass card, reserved seats signs, etc., nowhere is the word “star class” mentioned, because they are not trying to make it star class. Their target market for this program is new and/or suite cruisers. For those who are familiar with SC, it makes it trickier for them in that you should not book this expecting it to be identical. There are many similarities: the genie and their “powers”, the inclusion of dining and drink packages, dedicated flowrider sessions, priority embarkation and disembarkation (identical in procedure to SC), etc. But there are definitely differences as well. One being the exclusion of gratuities, and laundry is questionable. On Freedom it seems to be pressing only; and Indy might be full laundry? The other difference is the room. When you book regular SC, part of the WOW is the suite. With the RGP, depending on what room you book, there is not much WOW. In fact, the smaller rooms hinder the ability to really take advantage of the food delivery etc. The smaller ship also limits what the genie can do. Not as many activities and amenities to offer to guests. So is it worth it? In my opinion, at the right price, maybe. Let me try to clarify. If I was booked on a Non-QN/OA/IC class ship in a category lower than a GS, then it would be worth it at the right price. At $300pp/day, it’s still a hard sell for me. The disclaimer here is that I am already D+ and have access to the crown lounge even without the suite lounge. If I was booked in a GS or higher, no way would I consider the RGP. I would probably be just as happy buying the Unlimited Dining Package, VOOM, and Evian water package. The only way I would consider the RGP if I was booked in a GS or higher would be if the price went down considerably to make it worth it. For the amount it costs (regular price) for the RGP, my money is likely better spent sailing true Sky Class on QN/OA/IC class. Overall, Hubby and I think the RGP gives you the SC “lite” experience. If you have never tried SC and want to test it out at a possible lower cost, then it’s worth trying. It’s quite similar. If you are familiar with SC, then book with the mindset that it will be a slightly downgraded experience from true SC due to the reasons mentioned above. Happy to answer any other questions anyone might have. 3 weeks to SY! This cruise was easier to end knowing there’s a short dry dock.

We came back to the room after WJ and found some food deliveries from Lissandra. In honour of Canada Day. Now just chilling with no real plan, and that is perfectly fine with me. I think Hubby has fallen asleep out on the balcony and I am going to spend the afternoon with my Kindle.

Check in process: We got to the port just a few minutes after 10am. Very quite. The check in process was identical to regular SC, except the signage. When we checked our bags at the podium, I noticed that we were the only ones on the list. Pier side staff walking us in confirmed that we were this sailing. Hubby has now put two and two together and he has realized he will have the flowrider to himself for the Royal Genie Package session. Now he is much happier about this add on lol. First coconut ranger cookie of the sailing:

Standard warning: My intro posts tend to be TLDR. Intro As most people reading this are aware, we just did our first Utopia B2B in early June. Even though Utopia is very similar to Wonder (which we've sailed five times), the small differences and inclusion of new shows to see made it a pretty different cruise than our past few on Wonder. While our general routine didn't change, I did spend a good amount of time checking out what was new or different from Wonder. I made my way through most of the Pesky Parrot drink menu, we saw every show (some twice), we ate several meals in the WJ (which has some significant differences in terms of food selection), we skipped the MDR entirely, I tried most of the Spare Tire menu, we ate in GK's new location on deck 11, etc. It was definitely nice to have new shows to see and the nuances of a new ship to explore but my favorite part after all of that is the end result. I now have my (new) favorites as well certain things that I now consider one and dones. I really like being very familiar with a ship. I'm sure others prefer exploration and variety but that's just how my mind works. So now that I have all this firsthand information, I can't wait to return, skip most of the exploring and taste-testing (although I skipped 1-2 Parrot drinks I'll go back to try), and head straight for my favorites. All that said, we will actually be trying a few new experiences, but more on that in the dining section. Cabin We have the same exact interior on deck 10 forward as last cruise. It was chosen for location which we knew we liked from Wonder but now we know specific details about it. The mattress was fine for me but a bit too hard for my wife so she's going to ask for an extra blanket to sleep on. The shower was great (and had a small repair made during our last cruise). The cooler is a good one that actually gets/keeps stuff pretty cold. Overall, we had no major issues with it. On a related note, unless they moved him, we will have the same cabin attendant (also named Mike) who was very nice and efficient so that's another small plus. Itinerary Obviously we're going to Nassau and CocoCay again (twice) but this one is a 3/4 and leaves on a Friday (the first was a 4/3). We saw a slight difference between the 4N and 3N legs last time. The 4N was full of families and people of all ages and felt like any other June cruise. The 3N seemed to have less kids and was a bit more of a party crowd but there was nothing overly crazy about the behavior (at least where we spent our time). Judging by the mentions of kids in both FB groups for this one, I think it's possible that the 3N may be more similar to the 4N this time but we'll find out. What I expect to prefer about the 3/4 over the 4/3 is that we will end with a sea day as opposed to a CocoCay day. I've always liked ending with a leisurely sea day to just chill, go around having some of my favorite food/drink items for the last time, packing whenever (although we pack pretty quickly and always use self-assist so we can leave most of it for the end of the night), etc. We will again stay on the ship in Nassau and spend our CocoCay time in our usual spot by the Oasis Lagoon. Day 1 - PC (Embarkation) Day 2 - Nassau Day 3 - CocoCay Day 4 - PC (Turnaround Day) Day 5 - Nassau Day 6 - CocoCay Day 7 - Sea Day Day 8 - PC (Debarkation) Having been at CocoCay with two Oasis class ships before, it's never a big concern which ship is there with us. We get off the ship early and watch as it doesn't get busy until after 10am. That said, we had two very good draws last time (Grandeur and Jewel). We weren't as lucky this time but we'll just try to make sure we get off first thing. We will be joined by Oasis on the first leg and Freedom on the second. Entertainment Entertainment reservations opened long before our June B2B so I again have every show booked on both legs. We already know we're not seeing All In again but I kept the reservations anyway (we still need to see the last 10 minutes that we missed due to a stage malfunction but that will likely wait until next year with the family who has never seen it). I can definitely see us going to Aqua80TOO twice again and the ice show once or twice (the cast was changing after our last cruise). We'll go to Name That Tune again b/c it's really just a game show and we always go to adult comedy (a 2nd time will depend on whether either of the comedians change in between legs). Beyond that, we don't have many set plans. Other stuff like Love & Marriage or Perfect Couple or nightly musicians will depend on how we feel and what we're in the mood for. The second leg also has a new wrinkle that could affect our post-dinner plans. Dining If you've been reading my post-cruise ramblings in my June blog, you already know what the new wrinkle is. Our original plan was to use a BOGO for GK, have burgers at Playmakers one night, and switch MJ brunch to dinner (with another BOGO). That's been our usual specialty lineup for quite a while and I was very content with all the seafood and Indian food in the WJ on Utopia. My wife had a bit more trouble with the WJ but since she only likes one of the MDR menus on Utopia, she made do. Fast forward to June 12th and while checking random stuff in the CP as I always do, I was shocked to find the UDP on sale for 55% off! For Utopia, that brought it down to under $30/day pp before gratuity. We've never had the UDP before and I've had some concern over it being too much food even for me... but there's no way I could pass up that price. I booked it for both legs and we then spent a while debating if we wanted to just try it for the 4N leg rather than both. It's clearly a good deal on paper and I was on the fence but my wife agreed it would likely be too much food and said she really didn't care about finding stuff for the first three days knowing how much we'd be eating on the last four. Her opinion coupled with the fact that I was looking forward to the WJ seafood and the other included venues before the sale appeared led us to eventually drop the 3N leg. I also realized that we might as well book the MDR under MTD for night 3 since Bon Voyage is the one acceptable menu on Utopia for my wife and I can still go get seafood/Indian in WJ before and/or after. We kept the 4N leg over the 3N because the one sea day is the only time lunch is offered at restaurants at which we don't normally dine. Ignoring Izumi Hibachi (which didn't interest us), the choices for embarkation day were Mason Jar or Gio's Kitchen and the only choice for Nassau is GK. Those are our two longtime favorites so we're happy to eat there but besides value and quantity, we wanted to try new restaurants with the UDP so the additional lunch and dinner helps with that. *At some point inside of three weeks out (after I wrote the above) Chops appeared as another lunch option for day 1 of the 4N leg. We considered moving things around but my wife will already be eating multiple filets for dinner and she can get as many burgers as she wants between Playmakers, JR's, and Mason Jar so it didn't really make sense as that's what she would order and I was happy with the current plan. Subject to change, here's what we currently have booked for the 4N leg... Day 4(1) - MJ brunch / Chops dinner Day 5(2) - GK lunch / Hooked dinner Day 6(3) - CocoCay / GK dinner Day 7(4) - Izumi Sushi lunch / MJ dinner I can see having all those specialty meals and not falling into a full food coma if I don't go nuts; it's the daily credits for Playmakers, Gio's Wine Bar, and Izumi in the Park that I feel will turn the UDP into a crazy amount of food. I'm also not sure when we're supposed to go to Johnny Rockets (possibly never). I plan to use my Playmakers credit for late night snacks since it's open late (sorry Sorrento's). I usually just get the burger and garlic parm fries so I'm looking forward to going through the rest of the menu. I'm not concerned about Izumi in the Park since I can always eat some sushi (my wife will stick to the bubble cones). The Wine Bar might wind up as the odd man out since it's only open from 5-9pm most days and we have dinner reservations for 7pm three of the four nights (one night is a bit earlier so we can go to an 8:30pm aqua show). I suppose I could go there at 5pm for a pre-dinner snack and maybe get tiramisu to go and stick it in the cooler but I don't think I'll be looking to eat a pizza or anything heavy less than two hours before a specialty dinner. My extended family booked the UDP for all 7 days next March so this will also serve as a good test run. Miscellaneous Crystal Block - We are crossing 210 points on the first leg so we have our 2nd block coming, woohoo! Sleeping/Mornings - My wife and I both have some sleep issues and they often pop up on cruises, especially for her. This really messed with our routine last cruise so we're going to do our best to prevent a repeat. I often delayed my early morning CL coffee runs and we didn't disembark on CocoCay as early as usual. Neither was a huge deal but I enjoyed the few mornings I walked across deck 16 to the CL in the early AM with most of the ship asleep and my wife usually goes walking in the morning more often than she did. I'd also prefer to get an earlier start once the UDP kicks in so I can have a little something with my coffee while leaving plenty of time to be hungry for the rest of the day. I don't plan to have large breakfasts on the 4N leg. Cruise Director - It was nice to sail with Marc "Bing Bong" Walker again last cruise. Unfortunately, he left Utopia at the end of June. As I mentioned last blog, we don't really care about the CD, Marc just happens to be from our area and his daughters went to my wife's elementary school (plus he's a fun CD). "Dan Dan" Whitney took over for Marc and he was our CD on Wonder in April. Photos - I vowed to try to take more non-food pics last blog... and I guess I sort of did but not really. I think I'm just going to have to accept that I'm not much of a photographer and stick to mostly food/drink pics. If my wife feels like taking pics of other stuff I'll have her drop them to me. Otherwise, I'll throw in as much random stuff as I can but no promises. Parking - Apparently we got to the port TOO early last time as the main outside lot right next to the garage wasn't even open yet. It was nearly empty but the payment machines hadn't yet been activated for the day. A miserable port employee tried to get us to park across the street (uhh... no). The good news is we confirmed that we like parking in the lot instead of the garage. Maybe we'll leave five minutes later than last time but even if we get there too early again, it's not a big deal to do a quick loop until the lot is open. It certainly beats parking across the street. Jen the Concierge - As I mentioned last blog, Jen the CL concierge was both very helpful in fixing an issue with our D+ internet credits as well as being sweet and friendly. After chatting several times over the course of the cruise, on the last night my wife asked her if there was anything she missed that she can't get onboard and she mentioned some sort of Chinese hot sauce we had never heard of. Fortunately, a quick Google search let me know that it was available locally so we got her a couple small jars on our last Walmart run. She mentioned that she may be switched to the SL but to just come find her if she is. We'd prefer her to be back in the CL but if she has been moved... SL here we come! It's not sneaking in when the concierge invites you, right? Other New Friends - Being the social butterfly that she is, my wife wound up chatting with a couple of the Mason Jar crew members multiple times since I stopped there for drinks so often (a manager and a hostess I think) and also asked them what we could bring. One requested chocolate and the other wanted coconut water. We had already asked Mike the cabin attendant and he also wanted chocolate. Lastly, some of you have either met or have at least heard me mention Jocelle, the amazing Mason Jar server we first met on Wonder in 2023 that my wife has kept in touch with via social media. Unfortunately she's not working right now (for a good reason) but her significant other is currently on Utopia. He works in the Royal Railway at night and I believe the WJ in the mornings. Since we can't bring Jocelle anything, my wife figured the next best thing was to ask her what we could bring him. So anyway, now my wife's carry-on (usually a beach bag or small backpack) will be full of various little gifts. I know some people don't believe in these small gifts and feel the crew just wants cash but none of them are in lieu of tips and some are for people we wouldn't normally tip to begin with (like my wife's new MJ friends). We also find the crew to be genuinely appreciative, especially when we bring them something personal that they requested. RC Blog Members - I know at least one member will be on the 1st leg and two on the 2nd. No set plans like meeting up with @WAAAYTOOO last cruise but maybe we'll run into each other. As always, questions, comments, and tangents are welcome both pre-cruise and during. With no significant travel I don't normally have much to share in the week leading up to embarkation day.

Cheers to @OCSC Mike

Hit for just over 16k on Tuesday on wonder of the seas!!

Not bad at all! Room to curb 15 mins. Total time from room to airport…1 hour. Now sitting at our gate at FLL.

Raise a glass to Freedom! ️

Gods, Legends & Gelato—our Mediterranean adventure sailing from Rome to Greece on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas. After a week exploring the Eternal City and ancient sites like the Vatican and Pompeii, we’re ready to trade hot cobblestone streets for cooler sea breezes. I don’t have my hopes up about the cooler sea breezes! Our cruise will take us from the port of Civitavecchia to breathtaking destinations like Santorini, Mykonos, and Kusadasi (home of ancient Ephesus), with a final stop in Naples before we return. It’s a journey that blends mythology and history, sunsets and tzatziki, and yes—plenty of gelato (and wine) along the way. We’re cruising as a party of five: me, my husband (DH), our two sons-ages 22 and 18-and our 14-year-old daughter. We’ve split into two Junior Suites this time around (a slight downgrade from our beloved 2-bedroom Grand Suite, but definitely easier on the cruise budget). Everyone’s excited for something different-some of us are in it for the history, some for the food, and some just for the thrill of not having to make our own beds for seven days. As for excursions, we’ve got a great mix lined up. In Santorini, we’re doing a highlights tour that ends in Oia…famous for its postcard-worthy sunset views. This will be our first Royal excursion after many cruises but with Santorini being a tender port and read mixed reviews about how crowds.. Mykonos is more of a beach and relax day, with the flexibility to explore the charming town or just soak up the sun. In Kusadasi, we’re diving into ancient history with a private guided tour of Ephesus through Viator, one of the best-preserved Roman cities. Our final port is Naples, where we’ll explore Herculaneum, the lesser-known (and better-preserved) sister site to Pompeii. We’re also hoping to squeeze in a visit to the archaeological museum and of course, we’ll be trying some authentic Neapolitan pizza, because we absolutely need to compare it to Roman pizza. All in the name of research, of course. Before we ever stepped foot on the ship, we spent a full week soaking in the magic of Rome and wow, did we make the most of it (despite the blazing heat). From standing under the Sistine Chapel ceiling to wandering the Colosseum’s underground tunnels, our days were filled with history, gelato, and a lot of walking (our step counts are thriving). We spent a full day at the Vatican, toured the Colosseum with access to the underground and arena floor (best tour ever), and made a day trip south (via high speed train) to explore the ruins of Pompeii. We also tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain, climbed the Spanish Steps, admired the Pantheon, went underground to the Catacombs, and even found time for a cooking class where we made fresh pasta and tiramisu. Each evening ended with a new restaurant, a scoop (or two) of gelato, and tired but happy feet. After seven days in the Eternal City, we’re definitely ready for a little R&R at sea-but Rome delivered everything we dreamed of and more.

When I read this, the first thing that popped into my head was, "....so they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverleeeee. Hills, that is...".

I heard they're replacing grease with just wd-40

Nooooo!!!!!! Why why oh why?? Why get rid of Grease and they keep Cats on Oasis...!!??

That’s the wonderful thing about this blog community. You can be gone for a while and we will still welcome you back with open “virtual” arms

It's been a long day.....I misread this as "aggressively wash my loins...." and thought well that's a little personal, but we are all friends here so who am I to judge....

Spent most of the afternoon relaxing on the balcony. Hubby spent a chunk of time after lunch on the Flowrider. Now headed off to dinner. We are crawling along to PDCC. Trying to decide if we actually want to watch the ice show later. Show times on this sailing are 7:30/9:30. First one is too early for us, right in the middle of dinner time, and 9:30pm feels late. We are getting so old lol

See if you can figure it out lol

Yes! Finished packing and laundry folding around 4pm. Cooked dinner quickly. Headed to bed shortly. Hubby is still doing Hubby things. His side of the checked luggage is still suspiciously empty. He said at dinner that he wanted to swim in the pool. D16 (almost 17) asked him if he was packed. She then suggested he prioritize things to avoid arguments at 3am when we are supposed to roll off the driveway. You know it's bad when the kid is trying to help the parent set priorities lol. Headed to bed for a few hours of sleep.

Had to walk through the casino to get to my room to pack. Yay.

Turns out Hubby was not solo in the flowriding session today. There was another family who booked the RGP at the last minute. So last minute that even the two genies on board did not know about them until they showed up with their bags at the terminal after we did. They were not on anyone’s list or anything. But Hubby was slightly relieved too because he wasn’t sure if he could go a whole hour on his own so he was happy there were two others there to split the time with. He said it would have been hard on his legs even though his back is feeling better.

I'm sorry, but egg on pizza is just....wrong....

Hi, how is everyone? I know, I've been a horrible friend, but i figured i would pop in and check on my peeps and what do i see but Sabrina with a Genie package on Freedom. Imagine that! Hope everyone is doing well!!

Dinner at Izumi was good as usual. Noisy though because this Izumi on Freedom has 5 Hibachi tables and there is no separation.

Proof that I can eat in the WJ if necessary

La Bamba!

Every Royal ship should have a playmakers

Flight update: it’s on time so far and we got a complimentary upgrade to Delta Comfort+! Small win but we will take the earlier zone boarding

Hahaha!!!!! Bingo! lol. As long as I make it in time for my MJ brunch, I will be happy!

Sabrina might not know the exact answer yet, but she will tomorrow Like I have already mentioned, those who are used to star class (gratuities included) make it tricky for the RGP. It’s not SC and they are not trying to be. It’s totally rebranded as the RGP and as such, does not include everything that SC does, because it’s not SC. Hard to separate if you are used to SC. Back to why I might have a better answer tomorrow. While chatting with Lissandra tonight, she told me that her boss (I am guessing the GSM?) would love to meet and chat with me. He asked her if I would be around in the suite lounge tomorrow morning and I told her I will be at Chops for breakfast. Supposedly he is going to swing by. I have no clue how I get myself into these situations but I am going to ask the gratuities and laundry question. But I think I already know the answer.

I cannot comment on the Osso Bucco but I guess I am in the minority in that I just told Lissandra today that I would choose GK any day over GT. Tonight I had a pasta that I have never tried at GK, the linguine. They were able to sub in shrimp instead of clams. It was very light and quite good. This might be my new go-to as much as I love Alfredo and carbonara, I find them heavy. Hubby had the carbonara. Pizza was half Truffle & Eggs, and half meat lovers. After dinner we saw Graig Murphy. He was quite decent.

This morning we are at Nassau. Looking at the construction on the Royal Beach Club, there seems to be a lot more to do before December. Started off in the SL to make my tea. Same breakfast items as yesterday. I tried the Berliner because my sister asked me to. It was pretty good. I think I liked it better than the regular chocolate donut and the cinnamon roll. Then I headed off to Chops for breakfast. I should have taken a pic of what I ordered today but didn’t, because it did not look that appetizing. Yesterday, I asked if they could make avocado toast. Sometimes they can in CK. They said no, because they did not have any avocados. But the waiter did say to try again tomorrow (meaning today) because they might have some. So that’s what I ordered today, avocado toast. I should have already known something was up when they asked if I wanted toast with that. What showed up was exactly that, two slices of toast with a sliced avocado on the side. It was tricky to eat lol.

Slept great last night. Lounge snacks. Made my morning tea, breakfast at Chops, Hubby is on the wave. We’re at PDCC but as you all know, I am likely not leaving this ship

Room Tour As many of you might know already, we booked a suite GTY and were assigned an accessible JS. It is quite a bit larger than the regular JS. Hubby went to go take a peek at a regular one down the hall before rooms opened and he is happy. This accessible JS also has bunks which can accommodate a larger group. Bathroom At the moment I don’t know what to think of this. I will comment later on it once we start using it. Balcony One chair is zip tied. I remember reading in previous post about this happening but I don’t remember why they are doing this. Genie things

It’s cruise day! Headed to the port shortly!

Flight was super uneventful! Yay! Got our luggage without issues. This is our biggest hold up:

There is a logical (girl math) explanation for this..... I did initially put in minimum bids for a VP, GS, and OS so that I could have access to the suite lounge. There was one GS and one OS available when I booked 4 weeks ago so I was mildly hopeful. But I was also reading conflicting reports on Reddit and the RU FB page regarding GTYs and RU. I went ahead and booked VOOM, UDP, and the Evian water package (@asquared17 will get me on this one). I also noticed in the app that this sailing qualified for the "Spend to Save Challenge" which means I would get 10% cruise planner purchases back in FCCs. In the meantime, the sailing completely disappeared off Royal's site. About two weeks ago, the Genie Package went on sale. I never would have entertained this at regular price. I began to think of the "value" of this package in terms of things that matter to us during a sailing (VOOM, UDP, access to SL, priority embark/disembark, access to a wave session, unlimited Evian). By the time I factored in the "value" of those things, the sale, getting 10% back, and the fact that I would pull my RU, it made the different not too bad. That's how we ended up with a Genie, I promise you it was not always the plan lol

Day one in the casino was nice!

That's total BS about the Genies not being as attentive/experienced/responsive. Just disregard that entirely. Your Genie will be the same Genie that others have on the same cruise. They rotate around to different SC suites. This is one concern that you can simply forget about. There are 2 disadvantages to the ATS, IMO and that is their distance from the elevators and the fact that it is away from Deck 17. It is a LONG way all the way aft. For me, that's a show-stopper but for most, it is not. It is a long walk to get ANYwhere...and it's a long way from the Suites Lounge and Coastal Kitchen. There are a number of advantages of the ATS over some of the other SC suites. Namely, there are 2 completely separate and private bedrooms as opposed to one big open area. The location (aside from its distance from the elevators) is just spectacular. The 2 BR ATS were our introduction to Star Class. We did 3 of them before we moved on to other SC suites. You will love it....nothing like it !

Not one to complain much, but this one was a doozy. We booked the named excursion through Royal and from the time we stepped off Symphony, I knew it was going to be bad. We arrived on the pier and our "meeting" spot was complete chaos. People from Blue Lagoon running around, lining people up, putting people in wrong lines -- you name it, it happened. *Cue two hours of standing in the heat with no shade later* Now that we've wasted two hours on Bahamian Queue Simulator 2025, we finally are finally (over)loaded on to the crappiest catamaran I have ever seen....You would've thought that the hefty law suit and them literally killing a lady from 2023 would have taught them, but nope. I (an ex-coastie) made it a mission to count everyone on board. They stuffed over 300 people on this vessel. Yes, I spent the 20 minute ride over counting. Max should've been 150-200 at most. But wait, the fun doesn't stop there! To relax, I decide to go to the death vessel catamaran's bar and try to purchase a Kalik beer to help ease my nerves (or at least be a tad bit tipsy when fighting for my life when we sink). That'll be $15, sir. So I nope right out and go sit next to my family with a scowl on my face. We finally arrive to our "deluxe" and "exclusive" Blue Lagoon Island and (you guessed it), it was packed. I am talking nuts to butts. No chairs, no seats, no umbrellas, everything packed. These people then have the gall to give us *one* drink voucher and *one* food voucher and tell us where to go. I go to the bar with my new golden ticket like I'm Charlie heading to the chocolate factory, but way more disappointed. The bartender looks at me and points at the two options I have. Delicious ice cold water (tap water) OR powdered lemonade! Spoiler alert, I drink the lemonade because I'm dehydrated at this point and guess what I have when I get home! An immigrant from the Island named H. Pylori! YAY! I wish this was the end of this grand tour, but alas, it isn't. The food we were served was akin to that of what I would receive on Riker's Island -- absolutely awful. Think the saddest hamburger you've ever seen in your life, double it, give it to your enemy, and it's somehow worse. By now I've already turned on my phone and paid the $10 to let Royal know exactly how I feel about their deluxe offering via email. During this time, I again attempt to get a mixed drink in hopes of salvaging what little patience I have left of this godforsaken place. I ask for a margarita on the rocks, no salt. That'll be $25 please! I loudly decline and ask how much a simple bottle of water will be. You're in luck, it's only $10! By now I *hope* I dehydrate so that they'll be forced to take me back to the beautiful ship with unlimited beverages. Finally, the straw that broke the figurative camel's back was when my 16 year old asked me to "follow him" with a grin on his face. He's a down-to-earth kid, so I knew this was gonna be good. He directs me to a lovely beach on the north side of the island that is a little more quiet and had 3 lifeguards. He then proceeds to tell me that the lifeguards asked him to get out of the water because he went in over his knees (it was a calm day). As we walk toward the beach and near where the lifeguards are sitting, the smell hits me. That sweet, sweet smell of the Jazz Cabbage (also known as the Devil's Lettuce). Cheech, Chong, and Snoop were sitting under the only umbrella on the beach, passing a joint at work like it was 4:20 in Denver. Back to the ship, and the lovely hotel director has already called my room (see email above) and asked to meet me. He apologized, thanked me for letting him know (I also let him know about the stoners), and immediately used his super duper bat phone to call the excursion desk to refund me. Too long, didn't read?: Avoid anything Blue Lagoon like the plague. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk

Coming in a few days early with this one..... July 2025 3 - smokeybandit (Vision) 11 - OCSC Mike (Utopia) 11 - Hoppy2BHere (Utopia) 13 - USCG Teacher (Symphony) 14 - dustfsu (Utopia) 14 - OCSC Mike (Utopia) 18 - LandstromCruise (Radiance) 19 - JustinandBrooke (Adventure) 27 - lovetocruise2002 (Symphony) 27 - Jollyrogers (Wonder) 27 - Snotarni (Wonder)

We had a super lazy afternoon. After eating in the WJ, we came back to the room. Hubby took a nap on the balcony and I spent time reading. Some point mid afternoon, we headed to the suite lounge for some tea and got some ice cream from Sugar Beach on the promenade. This is included with the Genie package. Lissandra also let us know that movies are included as well. So that is the same as regular SC. Spent the rest of the afternoon reading. It really was a “perfect day at Coco Cay” lol Because we ate lunch early today, we decided to make it an earlier night. Having dinner shortly at Izumi and then going to catch the 7:30pm show in the theatre.

@asquared17 can relax. We made it to DTW and now sitting at the gate. Boarding in about 50 mins Not sure when Hubby got everything together because I tried to go to bed at 9pm last night. Tried, being the key word there. Normal pre-flight anxiety (not because I fear flying but I fear flight cancellations) kept me up, and then one freeloader came home from the movies along with many friends and decided to hop in the pool until about 1am. They are good kids but they still create some noise. And my bedroom faces the pool so sleep was basically a lost cause last night. Going to try to catch some sleep on the plane. Hubby is already out like a light next to me right now

Hey everyone! Now that I made it through the B2B process and am back in my cabin, going to recap the final day, day 8, of the group cruise... Started with chops breakfast: Then podcast recording where Clo, the cruise director, showed up: Then the farewell cake in the windjammer for lunch: Playmakers lunch: (Finally got my playmakers chicken tenders!) Cute new towel animal in my room: Final meetup, where in addition to Kevin singing alone like I posted yesterday, he had Laurence join him on stage as well: It was foggy, at one point you couldn't even see the water but some of it had burned off by they time I took this photo: Final MDR dinner: Seafood cake: (It smelled awful so I didn't eat it...) The chefs and waiters put on a show again: Kids Mac and Cheese: Apple Cobbler: Brownie: Laurence in the pub: Thanks everyone for a great cruise, and safe travels home to @CHart and @AshleyDillo! I will try to post a bit during the Fjords cruise but it will definitely be a different vibe with about half of the group leaving. Thanks! - Ashley

Freedom of the Seas 06.30.2025 This sailing was booked just a month ago. For those who know me, that is really short notice. We booked this sailing on whim, or perhaps a moment of weakness. Four weeks ago, I was super exhausted from work, wishing I was on a balcony overlooking the water. While taking a break from weekend marking and report cards, I was browsing cruise prices. I came across what I considered a great deal on this FR sailing. There was a suite GTY option for two of us. Knowing the answer was likely going to be a “no”, I had to at least make the attempt to run it by Hubby. The last few months have been draining for us as a family. On top of the regular hustle and bustle of life, we were dealing with family health issues, a difficult school year that felt never ending at points and Hubby surprisingly said “yes” rather quickly! I think he knew I needed it. He truly is awesome! And I may have told him he could hang out at the wave all day long lol. Who’s Going? Just Hubby and I! Flight Very reasonable airfare from DTW-FLL made this sailing possible for us. If airfare had been the usual price that we pay at peak times, we would not have gone. At 1 month out from sailing, airfare was $239pp RT. I don’t remember paying a price that low in almost a decade! Pre-Cruise Stay We are using points this time for a stay in Fort Lauderdale. We thought about staying at the Intercontinental because we had enough points for that too, but I think you all know by now why we decided on FLL. And I really love staying along Fort Lauderdale beach. Itinerary Standard 4 nighter, likely not leaving the ship. 30 JUN MIAMI, FL 01 JUL PDCC, BAHAMAS 02 JUL NASSAU, BAHAMAS 03 JUL CRUISING 04 JUL MIAMI, FL Cabin Our suite GTY was assigned at 16 days out and it’s an accessible JS. I have very mixed feelings about this one. I expected the JS, not the accessible part. There’s pros and cons. I will hold out on commenting until the end of the sailing. Pre-Cruise thoughts - This was our very first time booking a GTY. I agree with @RCIfan1912, it’s sort of fun, and not, at the same time. My TA laughed because for a Type A person like me, not knowing was eating away at me each day lol. - I had booked the UDP (great deal, 55% off C&A offer, $103.99pp), VOOM, and Evian water package and have since cancelled it. I have also cancelled all my Royal Up bids. More on that to come - Once again, in the spirit of a live blog, please do not hesitate to ask any questions. I will do my best to find out whatever I can for you. - When responding to a post with a series of pictures, please do not include the pictures in your reply. It just makes for easier scrolling. - Lastly, I will try to post videos and stories on Instagram. You can follow me @lovetocruise2002

It took me 28 years… but granted I was only 28 when I got it , thanks mom and dad for starting me on cruises at 9 months old!

Liberty right now: